People come from all over the country to visit Mammoth Cave National Park.

Many come to take cave tours, hike, camp and watch the various animals that roam within the park. Others come to ride bikes on the park’s many trails.

Bicyclist enthusiasts should be pleased that the Southwest Kentucky Mountain Bike Association has agreed to maintain the eight-mile Big Hollow Trail that is under construction at the park. It is expected to be open for bikers and hikers in October. Volunteer work will likely include preventing and repairing erosion problems, trimming vegetation and picking up litter.

This is the first time for the park to have a formal partnership with such a group. Park officials make a good point when they say that this partnership could be used as a model for other trail users, groups such as hikers and horseback riders.

Although the group isn’t saving the park money, it is estimated that the value placed on volunteer time is $21 an hour.

As work on the trail progressed, a test run revealed that mountain biking actually help trails as far as repairing ruts.

Bike association Chairman Chip Winger expects about 35 bikers on the trial during a good weekend. It has been estimated that about 2,000 bicyclists use the trails annually. Of the parks 85 miles of trails, 15 are open to bikers.

What this bike association has done is wonderful. Not only is riding bikes great for one physically, what the association did could pave the way for other bike-hiking trails to be constructed and maintained in other national parks throughout the country.

We commend this group for its tireless efforts and are excited about the trail’s completion.